Chapter One

Gabriella rushed around looking for clothes as the doorbell rang.

"Will you get that?" She yelled down to her mom as she continued to get ready.

She knew it was Troy waiting to take her to school. She hurriedly pulled on a pair of white capri's and a turquoise wife beater and turquoise flip-flops. She grabbed a pair of earring and shoved them onto her ears as she grabbed her stuff and ran downstairs.

"Hey Troy, sorry it took so long. I couldn't find anything to wear." Gabriella said as she was walking down the steps.

"It's okay Gabi. I'm used to it by now." He said smiling then kissing her. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah let's go. Bye Mom." She yelled into the kitchen where she knew her mom was.

Troy and Gabriella walked out to his truck and got in and headed towards the school. Troy had a CD in and they were singing along with it. Finally reaching the school they walked inside holding hands.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look this morning?" Tory asked smiling widely and leaning down to kiss her again.

"Nope I thought you had forgotten." Gabriella said laughing.

"I'd never forget. What are your plans for tonight Gabi?" Troy asked her as she fiddled with her locker combination.

Finally getting it open she replied "Oh my mom's boyfriend is coming over. Personally I don't know why she likes him… he's weird. She deserves so much better."

"He makes her happy and that's what you want right?"

"Yes that's what I want but I also wish it was someone that wasn't a complete weirdo." Gabriella said pulling her book out for first hour trigonometry. "Ever since my dad died two years ago, all she has been dating are weirdoes, deadbeats, and abusers."

"Well at least this one is smart and not abusive." Troy said enclosing the space between them and finally kissing her softly on the lips.

They entwined hands and headed toward their first hour.

"Do you want to come over so it won't be completely weird?" Gabriella asked silently wishing he would say yes.

It's not that she didn't like Brian… she did but their just seemed like there was something different about him. She just wished she knew what it was.

"Sure I'd love too." Troy said knowing Gabriella really wanted him there.

Gabriella smiled "Great! Come over around 5:30."

The bell rang and Troy and Gabi kissed before heading to class next door to each other.

The first four hours tick away very slowly. Troy sat in his Algebra II class staring at the clock pleading with it to tick faster.

"Troy are you with us." Ms. Adams, his math teacher, asked.

"Yes. Ms. Adams." Troy answered turning his attention away from the clock.

"Good." Ms. Adams replied before asking another student a question.

The class droned on for another twenty minutes before the bell finally rang. He sighed as the teacher yelled out their homework assignment. Chapter 8 Review. 'How am I going to be able to do that if I have no idea how to do anything in chapter 8? I'll ask Gabi if she can help me.' Troy thought. Troy gathered his stuff and headed to his and Gabi's locker where he knew she's be. He was right. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist; she turned around smiling and kissed him.

"Is there anyway you can help me with my algebra II tonight?" Troy asked her hopefully.

"Sure we can stop by your house and you can change for dinner. Then we can go to my house and I can help you with your homework and then we can have dinner with my mom and Brian."

"Sounds great! Thanks." He said as they headed toward their secret spot for lunch.

The rest of the day went a little faster than the first half and Gabriella was waiting for Troy by their locker after school. Troy came up a few minutes later.

"Sorry Gabi, I had to tell my dad about tonight." He said apologetically.

"It's alright are you ready?"

"Yeah let's go." He grabbed her hand and headed out to his truck.

They got in and headed towards his house. Finally getting there they went inside.

"I'll just sit here while you change." Gabi said.

"Okay. It might take a minute I'm going to jump in the shower. Nobody will be home for awhile so if you want anything help yourself." Troy said.

He went upstairs while Gabi plopped down on his couch. She just sat there and eventually fell asleep. Troy came down forty minutes later in a pair of khaki's and a blue polo.

"Okay Gabi. I'm ready. Gabi?"

He looked and saw she was sleeping so Troy went over and softly kissed her lips. Her eyes slowly opened and she smiled.

"Are you ready?" She asked quietly.

"Yep. Let's go." She got up and they left.

Gabi's POV

Heading to my house I laid my head against the window. My head pounding.

"You okay Gabi?"

I felt his hand become entwined in mine and I looked over at him. "Yeah I'm fine."

"You sure?" he asked concerned. I nodded my head.

'Man I really wish I hadn't done that. My head is killing me.'

We pulled in my driveway, but I didn't realize it. Then the door was opened and I almost tumbled out but was caught by Troy. I looked up and seen we were at my house.

"Oh. I didn't even know we were here." I said looking around.

"Gabi are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just a little tired. Let's go in."

No One's POV

They walked inside and Gabi yelled into the house for her mom. But there was no answer.

"She must not be here yet." Gabriella walked into the living room to set her books down. "Troy I'm going to run upstairs and grab a sweatshirt. You can come up if you want." Gabi said as she walked up the stairway.

Troy followed her up and into her room. "I don't know how you can be cold Gabi. It's 87 degrees outside."

"I don't know either. I just don't feel very good today." Gabi said as she searched her closet for a sweatshirt.

Troy went and wrapped his arms around her. "I'll keep you warm Gabi."

Gabi smiled, "Oh how I would love that… but I have to help you with your homework. Let's go downstairs."

Gabi kissed him gently then grabbed his hand and led him downstairs. She put on her sweatshirt.

"That looks oddly familiar." Troy said smiling.

It was a school sweatshirt that said Wildcat Basketball on the front and Bolton on the back.

"It's my favorite. It smells like you so when I wear it, it reminds me of you." Gabi said.

Troy leaned in and kissed her. They broke apart and Troy took out his book.

"So what don't you understand about Chapter 8?"

"Everything."

Gabriella laughed and started explaining to him. It took an hour and a half but Troy finally understood. Gabriella was relieved. Lucy, Gabi's mom, walked in with Brian right behind her.

"Oh hi Gabi, Troy." Lucy said.

"Mom Troy's going to stay for dinner okay?"
"Okay hunny. That's fine."

Brian spoke up "Gabriella can I speak to you please?"

Troy gave her a questioning look when she got up. "Sure." Gabi said and headed upstairs to her room.

"Yes Brian?"

"I thought I said no boys!" He was yelling at Gabi. "What were you doing before we got home? What a little slut."

"We were doing homework. It's not up to you whether I can date or not. My mom loves Troy. I'm not you daughter and your not my dad and never will be my dad." Gabi said right back at Brian

Before she knew it she found him raising his arm and hitting her. Hard. Gabi's hand flew up to her face as tears started to cascade down her cheeks.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again!" He said before storming downstairs.

Gabi let the tears fall for a minute before she dried them and came back downstairs. Troy gave her an odd look. She just shook her head and continued down but when she reached the bottom and sat down next to Troy her mom came in.

"Dinner is almost ready why don't you go change into something more appropriate Gabi." Lucy said before returning to the kitchen.

Gabi went to get up but was held back by Troy. "Are you okay? What'd he say to you?" Troy inquired.

"Nothing I'm fine. I'll be right back." Gabi said trying not to make eye contact with him.

She headed upstairs and threw herself on her bed crying. After a minute she got up and went to her bathroom to wash her face. Her left cheek was already starting to bruise so she splashed some water on her face before grabbing her foundation and putting it on. Making sure it was covered she headed to her closet to find something to wear. She decided on a purple dress. She slipped it on and then headed back downstairs. She saw Troy smile and she smiled back. He grabber her hand and they walked into the kitchen.

"Mom what'd you make for dinner?" Gabi asked.

"I made your favorite chicken alfredo. I hope you like it Troy."

"Yes I love it. I eat about anything." Troy said smiling at Lucy.

Brian spoke up once again. "Why didn't you make my favorite Lucy? You asked me over for dinner… you should be making my favorite not your daughters. She's just a little slut. Who knows what she was doing with Troy before we got here!" Brian was yelling at them now.

"I can't believe you said that. We were doing homework. That's it! Nothing else." Troy said getting mad.

"Troy no… "Gabi pleaded.

"No Gabi! I'm not going to let him say things like that to you. He has no right he's not your dad." Troy was very mad now. Lucy had ran up to her bedroom crying.

"Troy go outside for a minute. I'll be out in a minute." Gabi said softly to Troy so Brian wouldn't hear her. Troy went hesitantly.

Gabi then turned to Brian. "You had no right to let your boyfriend talk to me like that! How dare him!" Brian screamed into Gabi's face.

"I can't take this anymore. I'm leaving for tonight." Gabi tried leaving but was pulled back by Brian's strong hold on her arm. She was swung back, her ribs colliding with a corner of the counter. She cried out in pain.

"Didn't I tell you before not to talk to me like that again!" He hit her face with a closed fist and she moaned as she felt the pain. Brian then left the room.

She hurried upstairs to her mom's room. "Mom I'm going to spend the night at Taylor's or something." Gabi said softly to her mom. Lucy just nodded "Brian left. You'll be alright won't you?" "I'll be fine Gabi go ahead."

Gabi scurried out of her mom's room and back downstairs. Troy was standing in the living room. "I seen Brian leave. Is your mom alright?" "Yes she's fine. Can we go to your house or something? I really don't want to be here." "Yeah."

Gabi grabber her sweatshirt and they left.